Simple Grilled Rack of Lamb

This Simple Grilled Rack of Lamb is fantastic for special occasions and so simple it can make for a great weekend treat. The addition of the apricot and mustard glaze makes it a melt-in-your mouth experience!

Fruit and meat generally go together well. Apricot and lamb go together exceptionally well. This simple grilled rack of lamb with apricot glaze is great for any occasion!

Purchasing Lamb

When you go to buy lamb, first off, I prefer getting the whole rack. However, in a pinch, you can get individual chops. If you get individual chops, some of the cooking times will be shorter, so pay attention when cooking. Each rack will have 7-8 bones or when sliced, individual chops. Plan on 2-3 chops per person. When I am cooking for 5, 2 racks work out perfectly. I also get the frenched, which means, the bone on the top have been trimmed and are basically clean. Most of the time, even if they are purchased in a vacuum sealed pouch, they are trimmed, but don’t hesitate to ask the butcher to “french” the rack.

Prepping the rack of lamb

Once you have the rack, it will require some minor trimming prior to seasoning. The most important part is to remove the fat cap. This is the piece of fat on top of the rack, it usually looks like a rectangle. You can pry up on edge and slide a knife underneath and trim it off in one piece. Next, remove some of the larger sections of fat, leaving about 1/8 inch of fat on the meat. Leaving a little of the fat keeps the meat from drying out and adds a lot of flavor.

Now, it is time to season the lamb. Liberally salt and pepper all sides.

Prepare the apricot glaze, by combining the apricot preserves, mustard, thyme, oil & garlic in a bowl and whisk until everything is incorporated and it is a smooth consistency. There will be some apricot preserve chunks, that’s ok.

Cover all sides of the lamb with the apricot glaze. Reserve 1/3 cup of the glaze, this will be used to baste the lamb, once it comes off the grill. Let it sit for 30-45 minutes. At this time, the flavors will begin to meld with the meat and the lamb will come to room temperature. All cooking times are dependant on the lamb being at room temperature when it hits the grill.

Grilling the rack of lamb

Prepare your grill. If using charcoal grill, set it up for direct and indirect cooking. Whatever type of grill you use, try to shoot for 400-450 degree cooking temperature.

Make sure to clean your grill grates and coat them with vegatable oil. Place the racks meat side down over direct heat for 2-3 minutes.

Flip and grill another 2 minutes, bone side down. This is where you are going to get a nice caramelization and char on the racks. Watch for flare ups and move the meat if that occurs. Flip the racks. Continue cooking for an additional 15-18 minutes over indirect heat until desired doneness, flipping an additional 1-2 times. Try to keep the cover closed as much as possible. I suggest checking the temperature of the lamb after about 12 minutes of total time. Once the lamb hits an internal temperature of 115 degrees things will move quickly, so don’t walk away.

Lamb is traditionally served medium rare to medium, about 135 degrees by thermometer. I usually pull the racks once they hit 130 degrees, because they will continue to cook after removing them from the grill. While you can cook to a higher temperature, I strongly encourage you to stick with these temps. Lamb can get very dry and grainy when cooked beyond medium.

Once you remove the lamb from the grill, brush on the remaining apricot glaze. Let the lamb sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting. Cut the lamb into individual chops by slicing between each bone. This can be a little tricky to find the spot to get all the way through, so just be patient and let the knife find its way through the meat. You can cut into double chops as well, however, I find that it is much easier and more enjoyable for guests to have individual chops.

This grilled rack of lamb is so good! Serve and enjoy!

For other great grilled eats try my:

Smoked Chicken Drumsticks

Tequila Lime Beef Fajitas

Spiced Rubbed Chicken Wings

Grilled Sesame Tuna with soy glaze

Tequila Lime Shrimp